The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point

See you again soon

To my readers,

Thanks to all who have visited and found this approach  to keeping up with CAM research useful. It has been 6 years since the first post, and frankly I need a break.

Feel free to use the archive.

See you again in about 6 months.

JR

Dietary fiber and the risk of breast cancer

Researchers in North Carolina and in China reviewed the association between dietary fiber intake and risk of breast cancer.

[more...]

Effect of the dose of zinc lozenges on the common cold

Researchers at the University of Helsinki, in Finland, examined whether the total daily dose of zinc might explain part of the variation in the results of previous studies.

[more...]

CBT and the risk for heart disease

Psychosocial factors are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality, but the effects of psychosocial factor treatment on heart disease are uncertain.

Researchers at Uppsala University Hospital, in Sweden, studied the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on the recurrence of cardiovascular disease.

[more...]

CAM use in the Manitoba IBD Cohort Study

Researchers in Winnipeg, Manitoba surveyed the prevalence of CAM use in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

[more...]

Support for exercise to preserve cognitive function

Researchers at the Foundation of Public Health, Mutuelle Generale de l’Education Nationale, in Paris, reanalyzed data from the Women’s Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study (WACS), a cohort of women with prevalent vascular disease or 3 cardiovascular risk factors.

[more...]

Consumer Alert: Man Up Now capsules

Man Up Now claims to be “herbal” and “all natural.” Consumers may mistakenly assume the product is harmless and poses no health risk. One consumer below thinks it no big deal.

Consumers who have Man Up Now capsules should stop using them, because the FDA determined it contains sulfoaildenafil, a chemical similar to sildenafil, and the active ingredient in Viagra.

[more...]

Using compression stockings to treat sleep apnea

Fluid accumulation in the legs and its redistribution into the neck appears to play a role in obstructive sleep apnea (pauses in breathing during sleep).

Researchers at Hopitaux de Paris, Groupe Hospitalier Pitie-Salpetriere, in Paris, France, studied the response to wearing compression stockings during the day.

[more...]

Does Pilates improved balance?

Researchers at the University of Tasmania, in Launceston, evaluated the effects of a Pilates on balance and function in community-dwelling elderly adults.

[more...]

Tai chi benefits in Parkinson’s disease

Patients with Parkinson’s disease have impaired balance, which affects function and increases the risk of falling. Exercise is routinely encouraged by healthcare providers, but few programs have been proven effective.

Researchers at the Oregon Research Institute, in Eugene, studied whether a tailored tai chi program could improve postural control in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

[more...]

Effect of an urban environment on cannabis psychosis risk

Cannabis is considered a cause of psychotic illness, interacting with genetic and other environmental risk factors.

Researchers at Maastricht University Medical Center, in The Netherlands, investigated whether an urban environment contributes to the effects of adolescent cannabis use on psychosis risk.

[more...]

Dangers of colon cleansing

Colon cleansing (aka colonic irrigation or colonic hydrotherapy) works like an enema. The patient lies on a table and up to 60 liters of water (with or without herbs) are pumped through the rectum. Fluids and waste are expelled through a tube. The procedure may be repeated several times.

Researchers at Georgetown University School of Medicine, in Washington, DC, reviewed its use.

[more...]

Marijuana: Main driver for increased substance use

Here’s what we know from the results of The National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an annual population-based survey.

[more...]

Omega-3 for cystic fibrosis

In this Cochrane review, researchers at the Sydney Children’s Hospital, in New South Wales, Australia, evaluated the evidence that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation reduces morbidity and mortality.

[more...]

Does it matter if your tuna is packed in water or oil?

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, in Philadelphia, compared the fatty acid profiles of different commercially available US tuna products.

[more...]